Oily Hand's Life with MGs |
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We decided to give the 76 BGT a run out in the country on a lunch run organised by the Tyne Tees Centre of the MG Car Club. This was a run with a difference as the two natters had different runs to end at the same place for lunch. Starting at Durham services on the A1M, the southern group, including us, had a lovely 40 mile run to the coast and back into the country to Lanchester where we had a good feed. This is the first time this car has done more than five mile trips in my ownership. We did close on 100 miles today and the car behaved itself perfectly, which is just what I expected.
Things are quiet just now but there is still fun to be found. We set off in the BGT for the monthly natter and the car died. It just stopped. We got it back home and this morning I decided to investigate. Tuned the key and the silence was deafening. No tick tick tick as normal. I gave the pump a tap with a screwdriver handle and it sprang into life. I can feel a wallet lightening moment coming soon.
The 76 BGT is in the bodyshop, so apart from getting my spare Rostyles blasted and powder coated and cleaning up the brightwork there isn't much progress there. What a weekend. We took a trip to deepest Cornwall to buy a 1976 MGB GT. Armed with a trailer (thanks, Steve, for the loan of it, and Bill for showing me where it was hidden) we set off just before 10am on Friday and arrived at our hotel around 7pm. Saturday morning saw us navigating narrow country lanes to find the car. It was as good as the seller said it was so we did the deal, loaded up and renavigated the country roads back to the A30. The Audi pulled well and we were making good time until we came to a dead halt on the A30. After about an hour of stop start travel we passed the cause of the delay, a nasty accident, which according to the news had closed both carriageways for a while. Travelling at 55 - 60mph made the 120 miles of the M5 a bit of a drag. The boredom was broken briefly by the sight of a chrome bumper roadster, top down, going past us like we were stood still, the driver giving us a big grin and thumbs up. This turned out to be another 9 hour day and we were both cream crackered when we finally arrived at our overnight stop in Tamworth. Refreshed after a good kip and a full English, we loaded up the car and found it wouldn't start. Eventually the RAC arrived and got us mobile again. We finally got the GT unloaded and into it's lock up around 3.30pm. Now the work begins. My spare Rostyle wheels are in for blasting and powder coating to replace the tatty ones on the car. The body is in great condition but the paintwork isn't the best so It's going for paint when the painter can fit it in. In the meantime there is much to do.
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AuthorHi, I'm Owen and I've been having fun with MGs since 1970, starting with my 1937 MGTA. Since then I've had three Y types and a couple of Z Magnettes. I now have a 1971 MGB GT along with the TA and my wife and I are still having fun Archives
September 2020
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